How to Paint Aluminum Siding

Aluminum has been a much loved choice for sidings in a house for several reasons. Some of the reasons are that aluminum is a corrosive and rust resistant material; it is energy efficient and also cost effective. People have been choosing aluminum over other materials for nearly about 60 years. You can very easily paint and also repaint over your aluminum siding by just keeping in mind a few basic guidelines. The things that How to Paint Aluminum Siding How to Paint Aluminum Siding are needed for this purpose are as follows:

Cleaning bucket
Mild detergent
Garden hose
Scouring pad
Paint roller
Oil based exterior primer
Acrylic latex paint (exterior)
Paint thinner

First we shall know about the method of painting for the first time over aluminum siding. It is as given below:

Before starting to paint over the aluminum siding, check for any chalkiness or white oxide spots and remove them. You can use a scouring pad to scrub these spots gently. Be very careful not to scratch the aluminum with the pad while scrubbing over it. You can have grooves in the siding if you scrub very hard over the aluminum.
Mix a mild detergent with some warm water and clean the siding. You can scrub the aluminum siding top to bottom and back and forth. Notice if there is any mild dew or caked dirt on the aluminum. Remove them using the mild detergent. You have to be sure that the aluminum has no dirt before you apply the primer on it. Leave the siding to dry off before priming. It is advised that you leave the siding to dry for about 2 to 3 hours.
Take a roller to apply the primer. Start from the top of your house and proceed on to work from left to right. You shall have to leave the primer to dry off overnight. Incase you notice that there are some areas where the aluminum is showing through the primer, then again apply primer on that area and leave it to dry.
Use an acrylic based latex exterior paint to paint the siding. You can either use a roller or a spray machine for this purpose. Paint at least 2 coats of the paint. This will provide longevity to the paint. Let the first coat dry off completely before you apply the second one.

Now let us know more about the repainting of an aluminum siding. The method is as given below:

Use a garden hose to wash your siding nicely. It is also advised to use a fine spray attachment with the hose for better cleaning of any crevices and nooks in the siding. You shall have to continue washing the siding till you see that no more white particles are coming off. You can also use a mild detergent with warm water to rinse and clean the siding. Allow the siding to dry off completely.
Use the paint thinner to mix it with the primer. Mix them well and start priming the house. You will notice that the primer would be a bit runny so make sure that you apply it in small amounts. You can work your way from side to side and top to down. You shall have to wait for the primer to dry off for a day or two.
Use a high quality acrylic latex exterior paint to paint the aluminum siding. You can either use a roller or a spray machine while painting it. One coat of paint would be just enough for your old aluminum siding to look absolutely new!